Coin separator



Ap 1950 J. GOTTFRIED ET AL 2,503,232

COIN SEPARATQR Filed Feb. 28, 1947 INVENTOR5: Jo/zzz 'oyfjed BY fieggjamirz 1 5 f? Patented Apr. 4, 1950 1.115111 TED STATES OFFICE .CDINLSEPARATOR John Gottfried anfl Benjamin'Fny, St.fLouis,;M0.

ADl licatiomEehruan-y 28, 1947,. Serial-No. 731,558

4 Claims. "*1

This invention in general relates to coin "apparatus and more particularlyto a'new deviceifor separatingfrom acceptable coins all coins having abnormal .sur'face deformations, improper "diameters and underweight, andin'cluding means .for scavenging and clearing the device when blocked by rejected co'ins.

In coin testing devices'previous=tothis'invention, independent meanswere employedfortesting coins. for surface deformation from themsual means employed for testing weight and ,SiZe. These independent structures were notonly more expensive to manufacture and service, but were bination of elements for simultaneouslyand'ooncurrently acting upon each coin propelled "by gravity and effectively testing them "for size, weight and surface deformation. This feature inherentlyprovides .a .troublefree' structure which lends itself ,to low cost manufacture, effective operation, and relatively linsensrtive to position.

The principal object of Lthe invention 'is the provision .of .a gravity-operated-reiection means for testing the surface of a .coin pivotally secured .to .a gravity restored mother ,for testing the weight and diametero'f the coin ,duringithe .descent of a gravitywpropellefd coinlingapassageway.

Aifurther object-of .the.inventioniisgaconibiination of elements comprising a gravityrestored pivotal ,means "for testing .for surface deformation, including means 'for scavenging :re'iecte'd coins suspended .therein.

These and other objectsandadvantagfis .will

appear in one embodiment .of .the invention Jdescribed and shown in 1.the,following specification and drawings in which:

Fig. 1-is asideeelevation ofaarconventionalcoin separator showing the invention applied -;to :its 4 entrance passageway.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional pianwiewmfitheidevice shown Fig. "1 :taken generally: through section line 22.

Fig. '3 isa fragmentary view of a portion of the device shown Fig. l in 'change'd position.

Fig. '4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional plan .view of :the device ,taken ithroug'h *section dine -'4-*4"Fig.3.

Fig. 5 is .the same as Fig, 4in changed position.

The testing apparatus :hereinafter described is shown :positioned .in the entrance passageway of a well kn'owntyp'e of'slug rejector which incorporates magnetic and other means for subsequent-testing, and it will'be understood-that the invention is applicable in any type of coin pas- 'sageway for rejecting coins of improper dimension, weight andshape.

Referring'to Figs. 1, 3 and 4, 'theplate I is a frame 'orhousing 'for' the entire device. A gate member-'2 is pivotallysecured to plate I byears 3-3 and l- 4 projecting from the 'frame and gate respectively and having a hinging pin 5 therethrough. 'Acoil spi'ing-fi'positioned around .pin *5, :having its opposite ends bearing against the plate I and gate 2 respectively, normally urges the gate 2 into normal proximity with the plate 1* as shownin Fi '2.

'Anabutment'pin -'l in gate 2 normally bears -against the'insidesurfaceof plate 1 to establish proper spaced relation betweerrplate i and gate 2 forming anentrance-passagewayS shown Figs. -2'and 3. A runway=9 secured to the-inside-surface-of the gate, provides a sloping acceptance passagewayrunning between-the magnets 10-40 wherein "coins are tested for their conductivity properties and thenceto other test means not shown. Rejectedcoins'are directed downward as shown by dotted arrow directly beneath the entrance passageway 8 Fig. 1, into-rejectionhop- ;-per H andthence-to a rejection passageway not shown.

A-cradleor rocker I 2 is pivotally secured adjacent to the outside surface of "the gate 2 on pivot 'l*3"integralwith gate 2. The rockeris-prowided with two spaced projections M and 1'5 extending through -clear-ance apertures 46 and =1 in the :gate. The rocker is normally urged in 'the position'shown-Fig, 1' by its weighted portion 8 with the projections M and l 5 extending into theentrance passageway. 'Thedistance -be tween projections :14 and His proportioned to permit the freepassage ofundersized coins=therethrough to momentarily straddle and retain "a -'coin of =properediameter.

i i'cran-k shaped feelerdever [-8 is pivotally secured for movement in a retainer plate '20 which "plate is adjus'tably :positioned on rocker i i-z about pivot F3 by screw 22 l One end of lever t9 termi- :nates inran*offsetintegral counterweight 22 and its opposite end terminates in an- Offsetfeelerprojection 23. When *the rocker H2 is in rest positionas shown Figs. 1 -and' 2, theaction of gravity upon counterweight 22 normally urges the projection 23 against a camming edge 24 of gate 2.

A pusher bracket 25 loosely positioned on gate 2 by a pair of projections 26, extending through mating holes 21, normally rests against a stud 28 in plate I Fig. 2, and is urged in this position by contact with a formed flat spring 29 held to gate 2 by rivet 30. A tongue 3| formed in the end of bracket 25 normally extends into aperture l6 and is adapted for movement through aperture I8 of the gate 2 between rocker projections l4 and [5.

A retainer plate 20 and its feeler lever I9 is adjustably mounted on cradle 12 so when in rest position the end of the feeler projection 23 just clears a coin as it first comes in contact with the cradle projections l4 and [5.

In operation and assuming that a coin of proper weight and diameter is deposited in the entrance passageway 8, Fig. 1, the coin will impinge upon and straddle rocker projections I l and i5 and overcome the force exerted by the counterweighted portion 18 of the rocker l2 and thus cause the rocker to rotate in a clockwise direction. When the rocker has rotated sufificiently to relieve the engagement of camming edge 24 from the projection 23, the force of gravity acting upon counterweight 22 will cause the feeler lever l9 to rotate and move its projection 23 with its end in frictional contact with the face of the coin, and assuming the coin has a proper, smooth surface, the coin will continue movement in the rocker until it is deposited on the coin runway 9 as illustrated by Fig. 4, where it will descend between the magnets for test and thence continue its descent for further tests by means not shown.

When a coin is deposited in entrance passageway 8 having proper diameter and sufficient weight to normally operate the rocker, but having a hole or other abnormal deformation in its surface, it will impinge upon projections I 4 and I and operate the rocker l2 in a normal manner which will cause the feeler lever to move its projection 23 in a, direction substantially normal to the surface of the coin and thus engage a hole or other abnormal deformation therein, and suspending the coin in the entrance passageway on projection 23, as illustrated in Fig. 3. Under these conditions the gate 2 is moved outwardly from the inside surface of the plate I against the restraining action of spring 6 by well known means not shown, and as illustrated in Fig. 5. Since the movement of the gate 2 in an outward direction will permit the bracket 25 under the influence of spring 29 to move inwardly with respect to the movement of the gate, the coin suspended by feeler projection 23 will be stripped therefrom by tongue 3! whereby the coin will fall by gravity directly into the rejection hopper H. It is apparent that a coin of insuflicient weight, having a proper diameter, will not rotate the rocker l2 sufiiciently far to discharge it on to the runway 9 and will require the same scavenging movement of gate 2 as previously described, to discharge the underweight coin into the rejection hopper II.

It is also apparent that when a coin having a diameter less than that of an acceptable coin is deposited in passageway 8 and since the feeler projection 23 is normally in its withdrawn posi tion, it will pass through the space between projections l4 and [5 of the rocker, directly into the rejection hopper.

Having described our invention, We claim:

1. A coin separator comprising a frame, means in said frame forming a coin passageway, a rocker pivotally positioned in said frame adjacent to said passageway, a pair of spaced abutments integral with said rocker projecting into said passageway, means for urging said rocker in normal rest position, crank shaped feeler means pivotally positioned on said rocker, said feeler means having a projection at one end adapted to movement into said passageway, means for urging said feeler to move said projection toward said passageway, cam means integral with said frame for normally holding said projection out of said passageway when said rocker is in its normal rest position whereby a coin descending in said passageway will straddle said abutments and rotate said rocker and be diverted thereby, and to simultaneously permit said feeler means to disengage its said projection from said cam means and to engage the end of the said projection with one face of the coin to retain thereon coins having holes therein.

2. A coin separator comprising a frame, gate means pivotally secured to said frame and normally forming a coin passageway between said frame and said gate means, a rocker pivotally positioned on said gate means adjacent to and outside of said passageway, a pair of spaced abutments integral with said rocker projecting through a clearance aperture in said gate means into said passageway, means for urging said rocker in normal rest position, crank shaped feeler means pivotally positioned on said rocker including a projection adapted for movement into said passageway, gravity means for urging said feeler in one direction for moving said projection into said passageway, cam means integral with said gate for normally holding said projection out of said passageway, a. stripper lever pivotally secured to the outer surface of said gate having a tongue projecting into said aperture between said rocker abutments, a stop member integral with said frame for normally holding said stripper lever with its tongue out of said passageway, a spring means secured to said gate for urging said lever toward said passageway whereby a coin having a hole therein deposited in said passageway tested by said rocker and said feeler means and suspended by said projection in said passageway, will be stripped therefrom for descent and rejection in said passageway by the relative inward movement of said tongue when the said gate is moved outward from said frame.

3. In a coin separator means forming a coin passageway, a rocker pivotally positioned on said means outside of said passageway and having a pair of integrally spaced abutments projecting into said passageway, counterweight means integral with said rocker for urging said rocker to rest position, feeler means adjustably pivoted on said rocker including urging means therefor and an integral crank arm for entering a hole in a coin deposited on said abutments.

4. In a coin separator, means forming a coin passageway, a rocker pivotally positioned on said means and outside of said passageway having a pair of integrally spaced abutments projecting into said passageway for intercepting a coin of proper diameter, a crank shaped feeler means adjustably pivoted on said rocker, said feeler means having a crank arm for suspending thereon a coin having a hole therein, independent counterweight means integral with said rocker and said feeler means for normally urging said rocker in one position and normally urging said feeler means with said crank arm toward the face of a coin straddling said abutments, a fixed cam for holding said REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

5 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,292,628 Fry Aug. 11, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS m Number Country Date 329,686 Great Britain May 26, 1930 

